The New Happiest City in the World for 2025

What makes a city truly joyful to live in? Surely, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but that hasn’t stopped the researchers at the Institute for Quality of Life from attempting to find out. They analyzed 82 indicators of happiness in cities worldwide based on six key categories — citizens, governance, environment, economy, health, and mobility — to come up with the 2025 Happy City Index. As program director Dr. Bartosz Bartoszewicz explains, “A happy city is one that listens — to children, students, workers, and elders alike. True urban well-being means designing places where everyone can thrive today, without compromising the needs of tomorrow.” Read on to discover the top 10 happiest cities around the globe and take a closer look at this year’s new winner.

Copenhagen: The World’s Happiest City for 2025

Denmark’s coastal capital takes the No. 1 spot for 2025, scoring the highest out of the 600 major cities analyzed. Copenhagen adopts a holistic approach to enhancing the quality of life for its 1.39 million residents, with sustainability, civic engagement, and innovation serving as hallmarks of the city’s character. 

Life expectancy in Copenhagen stands at 79.9 years, well above the worldwide average of 73.5 years. This longevity is bolstered by universal health care coverage and healthy work-life balance, with an average workweek of just 37 hours. Outdoor living is a way of life here, and residents need not go far to find green spaces: Copenhagen boasts nearly one park per square kilometer. 

A key driver in Copenhagen’s happiness is its thriving economy. With approximately 230 businesses per 1,000 residents, the city encourages economic growth and entrepreneurship. Education is another pillar of Copenhagen’s success; Denmark’s high-quality, affordable system ensures university students from the EU attend tuition-free. 

But it isn’t just residents who are happy — life is good for tourists in the Danish capital, too. Highlights include the Renaissance-era Rosenborg Castle and the current home of the Danish Parliament, Christiansborg Palace. Nearby, Tivoli Gardens, an amusement park, offers fun for the entire family, and the seaside Little Mermaid statue draws crowds as a tribute to the famous fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen. While sights like these draw in around 30 million tourists annually, Copenhagen’s robust public transit system keeps things moving efficiently, and nearly 70% of all travel within the city is environmentally friendly.

2025 Top 10 Happiest Cities

The rest of the top 10 list spans just two continents: Europe and Asia. From economics to community spirit, these global cities lead the way in resident happiness:

1. Copenhagen, Denmark 
2. Zurich, Switzerland 
3. Singapore, Republic of Singapore 
4. Aarhus, Denmark 
5. Antwerp, Belgium 
6. Seoul, South Korea 
7. Stockholm, Sweden 
8. Taipei, Taiwan 
9. Munich, Germany 
10. Rotterdam, The Netherlands 

Notably, Denmark is the only country with two cities ranked in the top 10: Copenhagen and Aarhus. Aarhus, ranked the No. 1 city in the 2024 Happy City Index, now sits in fourth place in the 2025 report. This lesser-known Danish city, situated on the eastern side of the Jutland peninsula, is rich in Viking history and seaside charm. 

For the second consecutive year, Zurich claims second place. The picturesque lakeside city is a global hub for banking and finance, boasting a high GDP per capita that makes it one of the most prosperous cities in the world. 

In third place, the Southeast Asia city-state of Singapore continues to foster a strong sense of community happiness despite its dense population of over 6 million. As a beacon for research and innovation, Singapore is home to some of the world’s top universities. Life expectancy there is also among the highest of any city on the index list, averaging 83 years, supported by a strong health care system and balanced lifestyles.

Belgium’s medieval port city, Antwerp, claims fifth place thanks to its strong economy and high level of citizen involvement in government, with 21.1% of employed individuals working in government-related roles. Thanks to high civic engagement and ample access to health care, Antwerp’s residents enjoy a strong sense of community.

Seoul, South Korea, home to over 9.6 million residents, claims sixth place. With an average life expectancy of 85 years, Seoul’s residents live longer than those in any other city on the top 10 world’s happiest cities list, in part due to access to health care and low rates of obesity and violence. Sweden’s capital city, Stockholm, is another city where residents live longer, an average of 83.6 years. This capital city climbed from 11th place in 2024 to seventh in 2025. Stockholm prioritizes sustainability and the preservation of its cultural heritage, along with universal health care, efficient public transportation, and ample green spaces.

Landing in eighth place this year, Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, maintains high levels of public safety and civic engagement, despite being a large, bustling city of over 2.5 million. The city’s investments in education, health care, and technology also contribute to a sense of pride and community among residents.

Germany’s happiest city, and the ninth-happiest in the world, is Munich, the cultural heart of Bavaria. Though this city is best known to international tourists as the gateway to the Bavarian Alps, for its residents, Munich is a sustainable, well-governed city with a focus on education, health care, and green transportation. 

Rounding out the top 10 list is Rotterdam, home to Europe’s largest seaport. The city’s economy thrives on maritime industries and global trade, which supports a healthy local job market and steady influx of investment. The city’s modern infrastructure boasts a robust public transportation system and many green technology advancements.

Featured image credit: Dado Daniela/ Moment via Getty Images